Sandpoint planning commission asks staff to revise proposed switch from building-footprint limits to single impervious-surface standard

The Sandpoint Planning and Zoning Commission on Oct. 21 held a public hearing on proposed amendments to Sandpoint City Code (Title 9) that would eliminate separate building-footprint maximums and replace them with a single impervious-surface standard, then voted to send the draft back to staff for revision and return to the commission.

Community Planning and Development Director Jason Welker presented the proposal, saying the draft would “go to a single impervious surface standard, eliminate the building footprint maximum, and adopt a unified standard for RS and RM of 70% lot coverage.” He and staff described an alternative of 60% that would still remove the building-footprint rule but limit overall impervious coverage less than the 70% option.

Welker and city planners told commissioners the change is intended to expand flexibility for redevelopment and infill — especially accessory dwelling units — and to reduce the code’s tendency to push small-lot development into taller, two‑story homes. Under current code, single-family building footprint limits in some zones are 35%; staff showed a 5,000-square-foot-lot example in which that footprint limit produces a maximum first-floor footprint near…